"The gasping oppression," as influenza was known in a more
descriptive era, has plagued humans for about 500 years and this season's
version is the second-worst Dr. Mark Crislip has seen in his 30 or so years of
doctoring.

"People get sicker than stink" with the flu, says Crislip,
medical director of infectious disease for Legacy Health.

Friday morning, the Oregon Health Authority released its
weekly report on flu activity, here in the heart of the season. Some key points
from the report covering the week ending Jan. 18:

** Most of the flu specimens tested in the Oregon State
Public Health Laboratory were the H1N1 strain of the influenza A virus, which
has hit hard in those younger than 65. That's the same strain that caused a
pandemic in 2009.

** The bad flu season seems to be prompting more Oregonians
to get the influenza vaccine; immunizations strongly surged through the second
week of January.

&amp;amp;lt;a href="http://polldaddy.com/poll/7742835/"&amp;amp;gt;Have you had the flu this season?&amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;gt;

The health authority doesn't track adult flu-related deaths
but queries to the Portland area's major hospital systems indicate that at
least 14 people with confirmed influenza have died since flu season started
Oct. 1, 2013. Flu typically cannot be confirmed as the official cause of death
because patients may have had compromised immune systems stemming from other
health conditions.

If you're feeling crummy and wonder whether it's flu or
something else, it might be flu, Crislip says, if you're exhausted, have a high
and persistent fever, are coughing or short of breath and your muscles feel
like they've been pummeled with a hammer.

Even if you got vaccinated against the flu – still highly
recommended by public-health officials – you can catch the virus. You won't,
however, feel as miserable as your unvaccinated, flu-walloped neighbors and
you'll feel better sooner.

Those with a bad case of influenza typically endure a high
fever for three to five days. They can feel wiped out for weeks afterward,
Crislip says.

Most who think they might be infected with flu don't need to
go to the doctor. But those who have other serious medical conditions – say, a
bad heart, lungs or kidneys, have cancer or are pregnant – should consult their
medical provider if they feel rotten.

"Despite the occasional deaths, which are awful,"
Crislip says, "most people survive with just misery."

He suggested six common-sense tips for otherwise
healthy people who think they might have the flu:

FLU SHOTS

Use this government flu-shot finder to locate places offering vaccines near you.

STAY HOME: Don't risk spreading the virus to
others. Don't leave the house for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone.

DRINK LOTS OF FLUIDS: Those with fevers easily
get dehydrated, and that's doubly true for older people. Consider drinking
juice or Gatorade, he says, "something with some calories and salt, which you
probably need."

REST: "You're gonna feel so miserable you don't
want to get out of bed anyway," he says. "Don't push it."

DON'T TREAT THE FEVER WITH ASPIRIN OR ACETAMINOPHEN/TYLENOL:
Studies show treating fevers with such medications can make an illness last
longer. Plus, a new study out of Canada indicates that taking those drugs to
suppress flu symptoms may cause patients to shed more of the virus, passing the
bug to more people than they otherwise would. "Let the fever run," Crislip
says.

BEWARE OF CHANGES: Watch for changes that would mean something
bad is happening. Coughing up lots of green sputum, for instance, or being
markedly short of breath, might mean you're developing bacterial pneumonia on
top of the flu. If you notice such changes, see a doctor.

LISTEN TO HER: "If you're male," Crislip says,
"pay attention to your wife or girlfriend." Often, when he asks men what
prompted them to come to the hospital, they say the woman in their life
insisted. Crislip's reply: "She saved your life."